An inconsistent and confusing landscape has come to define American education

In the three months since the second Trump administration took over, American education has faced drastic changes. On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order dismantling the 46-year-old Department of Education, directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to do so using “the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”

A coalition of advocacy groups, including the National Education Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, filed a lawsuit over the new order on March 24..

In an article published by the Fulcrum, the NEA said, “Despite Trump’s rhetoric that the deferral Department of Education is 'a big con job,' the agency’s achievements say otherwise. Its programs have increased equity in education from pre-kindergarten through college for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status.”

The agency also witnessed a 50% reduction in its workforce, which McMahon said was intended to increase efficiency and accountability.

However, perhaps a larger change that educational institutions are still grappling with is the federal government's ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. This began with a January 21 executive order titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”

This was followed by a Dear Colleague letter advising federally funded schools that decisions or benefits made on the basis of race or nationality were considered a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

A statement released by the Department of Education on February 15 gave institutions two weeks to “cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond.”

An inconsistent and confusing landscape of American education emerges as universities and schools examine and amend their policies while others resist.

President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities Lynn Pasquarella called the orders “unprecedented and surprising.”

“We knew from President Trump's first administration that he was intent upon dismantling DEI. But what we didn't expect was for his administration to position higher education as the enemy, and to attempt to dismantle higher education itself,” Pasquarella said when speaking to The Fulcrum prior to the March 20 order.

Pasquerella said the Dear Colleague letter has no legal standing and is therefore not binding.

“His [Trump] administration has framed this in terms of their reading of Students for Fair Admission Vs. Harvard. But the Supreme Court didn’t dictate the removal of DEI initiatives. It’s broad, vague, and overreaching in terms of governmental intrusion into academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and governance at college campuses.”

Since January 2023, The Chronicle of Higher Education has tracked changes among public colleges regarding DEI and offices, jobs, training, and diversity statements as responses to bills, political pressure, and legislation. The tracker has noted changes at 270 campuses across 38 states, with efforts ramping up since the new administration began.

University of North Carolina Asheville responded to Trump’s January 21 order by amending its degree requirements, which the Asheville Watchdog first reported. In a memo published on February 5, UNC System Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel Andrew Tripp made clear that all “all general education requirements and major-specific requirements mandating completion of course credits related to diversity, equity, and inclusion” were suspended.

Megan Underhill is department chair of sociology at UNC Asheville and an inequality-oriented scholar. Underhill’s courses, which examine racial and class inequality, were previously mandatory but are now electives. Underhill said students taking such courses were told they could drop the class.

“Within the state of North Carolina, there are some schools that don’t offer diversity-intensive courses, so there hasn’t been a change to their departments, and there are others where courses are being flagged,” Underhill said.

Underhill expressed worry about what’s to come and greater scrutiny to all courses, including electives, and the professors teaching them, but said she is “going to keep doing what I’m doing.”

“The reason my university developed the courses [on race] was in response to student demands to have a more relevant education. This mandate is in direct opposition to a curriculum students advocated for several years ago.”

In May 2023, the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted to eliminate DEI offices and spending. This decision contrasts with those of states such as Texas and Florida, where legislation cut DEI.

Underhill said Asheville’s campus once had a multicultural center.

“Universities can make whatever claims they want about how they continue to be places for everybody, but when you’re getting rid of spaces specifically designed to create community and create an oasis for students who are a minority, I don’t think they can claim the university is a safe space,” Underhill said.

The Department of Education announced the opening of Title VI investigations into 45 universities a month after the Dear Colleague letter was published. The department alleges these institutions violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act by partnering with the Ph.D. Project, a non-profit organization that provides support to members of underrepresented groups earning PhD degrees in business.

The fear of funding cuts is real, especially after the DOE cancelled $400 million worth of grants and contracts to Columbia University for failing to counter anti-Semitism on its campus. The result of medical research on cancer is being suspended or terminated.

Ariel Halle, a third-year PhD candidate in the Infectious Diseases Division at Northwestern University working on HIV research, spoke to The Fulcrum about how funding matters and the ending of DEI programs. Halle is also the advocacy chair for the Chicago Graduate Student Association, which supports graduate students attending Northwestern’s Chicago campus.

“I think HIV research has a lot of LGBTQ scientists and there's a lot of diversity in the infectious disease department in terms of what sort of types of scientists feel like they have a home here. A researcher had several grants canceled because they focused on transgender people.”

Halle said DEI-related language on Northwestern's websites is important for current students, employees, and prospective ones to see Northwestern as a welcoming environment.

Northwestern has made changes to its website. The Daily Northwestern reported that the library’s website no longer mentions the word diversity but “the entire Northwestern community.” The Women’s Center website now says, “Northwestern is currently reviewing its policies and programs to ensure we meet all federal and state laws and requirements.”

The Attorneys General of 14 states, including Illinois, California, New York, and the District of Columbia, issued guidance regarding DEI programs to counter the federal government’s executive orders and instructions.

“Educational institutions should continue to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among their student bodies,” the statement published on March 5 read. It also addressed the lack of legal standing of these documents. More importantly, it answered several questions, from the inclusion of diverse language in mission statements to programs at K-12 schools that ensure a safe and supportive environment for students.

“I think the advantage that California has in terms of complying is that we already have laws that say you cannot affirmatively provide an extra step up because of your race,” said Carol Kocivar, former President of the California State PTA.

California ended affirmative action in 1996 due to Proposition 209, which bans racial preferences in employment and education.

Kocivar said this has impacted enrollment and, therefore, the funding schools receive.

“Our history is very clear that there was racism. We had slavery. We had redlining. And teaching our students our history is not racism. It’s the history they should know so they can avoid racism in the future. Teaching them about their own cultures strengthens their identity and their understanding of their place in the community. It is not a threat to other people. So, my personal sense is his [Trump] is a total overreach in California.”

Malavika Ramakrishnan is a freelance journalist covering politics and culture.